One of the major problems facing Hollywood today is the lack of will and energy to make movies that can charm youngsters without boring their parents. Popeye is an important contribution toward the solution. It's not a sophisticated film. But it's a gratifyingly engaging one. [12 Dec 1980, p.1]

The film's real star is its magnificent set (filmed and constructed in Malta), though Williams manages to screw up his face and eye in a credible imitation of the drawings, and Duvall is perfect as the gangly Olive Oyl.

It is more than faint praise to say that Popeye is far, far better than it might have been, considering the treacherous challenge it presented. But avoiding disaster is not necessarily the same as success.

Robert Altman's busy, detailed mise-en-scene, flattened cartoon-style through space-compacting long lenses, does capture some of the frenetic atmosphere of the Fleischer cartoons, but it tends to crowd out, and neutralize, the story values.

A shamelessly commercial and determinedly vulgar director, such as Flash Gordon's Mike Hodges, might have made the film work; it might have succeeded on one level instead of failing on many. [13 Dec 1980, p.E7]

I like this film. I smile from beginning to end. It looks brilliant and it evokes the cartoon faithfully. It's a kids film that makes an I like this film. I smile from beginning to end. It looks brilliant and it evokes the cartoon faithfully. It's a kids film that makes an adult happy. I don't know if Popeye can sweet talk today's kids, as I don't know if the cartoon is still on telly.…Expand

waste of time waste of building a set as detailed as that one was. boring, stupid, went nowhere. Williams couldn't pull it off, but then whowaste of time waste of building a set as detailed as that one was. boring, stupid, went nowhere. Williams couldn't pull it off, but then who could have with such a lame script? It would have been better if choice clips of the old Popeyes could have been spliced together and then release it as a full-length feature. I think warner bros did that kind of thing with Bugs Bunny and the gang. check out shelly duvall doing harry nilsson's "he's large" composition on youtube. yecchhh…Expand